Still It Rains
by Fallen Muse
Summary: A series of storms plagues the wizarding world, but that's the least of their worries. Will love be able to survive these tough times, or will it drown with the heavy rain? d/g
1. Rain brings Convention

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Disclaimer: The characters and places in this fanfic (Except Mei Lien Chang) belong to J.K. Rowling and respective companies. I do not claim anything in this story except the plot and Mei Lien (Maybe some other new characters coming up in later chapters, which will be stated.) This fic also contains situations that warrant the PG-13 rating (Which may be increased.) Please enjoy! =) 

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Still It Rains

Chapter 1: Rain Brings Convention

Ginny pushed the door open and entered The Three Broomsticks, followed not too far behind by the Dream Team. The violent storm outside seemed to have not discouraged the townsfolk and other students from a night out, for the place was packed. Ginny was glad that the Hogwarts uniforms had an anti-rain charm, otherwise she would be soaked through.

Weaving her way amidst the tables and chairs, Ginny lead the Dream Team to a cozy booth in the far corner. Harry, Ron and Hermione followed, chattering away about something that Ginny could honestly care less about. Once they were all seated, Madam Rosmerta approached them with a bright smile.

"It's good to see all of you again! Would it be the usual for you?" Rosmerta asked. They all nodded.

"Yes, a round of butterbeers for now." Harry said politely to the blurry woman as he wiped the raindrops from his glasses. 

"Coming right up!" With that, Rosmerta went back to the bar.

Ginny glanced over at Harry, who sat next to her, and admired how handsome he looked without his glasses. He would be handsome to her in a paper bag, of course, but it wasn't often that she saw him without his glasses. Hermione was the only one who seemed to notice, and when Ginny redirected her attention to Ron, who was talking, Hermione offered Ginny a slight smile. Either Harry didn't notice or he was a good actor, nevertheless, a light blush soon colored Ginny's lightly freckled cheeks. 

After a few moments, Rosmerta reappeared with four foaming tankards of butterbeer. Ginny sipped at her drink slowly, staring off at nothing in particular as the Dream Team began to discuss the current issues regarding Lord Voldemort. She was extremely sick of hearing about it, and wished for once they would discuss something mildly pleasant. It wasn't long before her mind began to roam. Ginny's gaze settled on the floor as she began to imagine one of her many Harry Potter fantasies. A wistful smile touched her lips, and eventually she had drowned out everything around her entirely. All that existed to her in that moment was the fantasy, a fantasy that she knew would never become reality. 

It was not long before her thoughts began to turn sour, which often happened when she thought too deeply about Harry. The image of Harry engaged in a passionate kiss with Cho Chang rang through Ginny's mind. She had, after all, come across such an image the year before, and ever since it had corrupted her fantasies about him. Standing, Ginny muttered an excuse and left the table, unable to withstand their questions if they realized something was troubling her. She went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, and after drying off she stared at herself in the mirror. _Maybe I should give up on him…_

Tears stung Ginny's eyes, and she found it difficult to prevent them from falling. She pushed open a stall and sat on the toilet, curled up, and cried silently. Glad that no one was there, she remained until she could manage to suppress the sadness, and soon emerged. Giving her reflection a glare, she wiped her eyes and went back out into the hallway where she lingered until she was sure the redness had left her eyes.

Right when she decided she had gotten hold of herself to return to the table, someone rounded the corner and blocked her path.

"You're in my way," a reproving voice drawled. Ginny would recognize that voice anywhere, and forced herself to avoid his eyes. 

"Malfoy, there is plenty of room in this hallway to walk around me," Ginny retorted.

"You are standing right in front of the men's bathroom," Draco sneered and shoved her aside without a second thought. Ginny stumbled a little but caught herself on the opposite wall.

"_Ass_ hole…" She murmured, glaring at the men's bathroom door that Draco had disappeared behind. 

"Ginny?" Hermione's voice invaded the hallway and she came into view. Ginny glanced up at her with vacant eyes. "Is everything all right? You've been gone for a while."

"I'm fine, I'm okay," Ginny responded. "Just had a run-in with Malfoy, is all." Hermione narrowed her eyes.

"Don't let that brute bother you, let's go back to the table," Hermione said as she turned and went back into the crowded tavern. Ginny stood there for a moment, hesitating. She really wanted to just go back to her dorm and be alone for a little while. Unbeknownst to her, Draco had emerged from the bathroom and stood silently behind her.

"Did I hurt your feelings, little weasel?" said Draco, leaning close to her ear. Ginny couldn't help but shiver at the delicious tingle she felt all over her body at the sound of his voice. She dismissed it easily and rolled her eyes, turning slowly to face him.

"Don't flatter yourself," Ginny muttered, prepared to fix him with a scornful gaze. Little did she know that the beauty of his impassive demeanor would send every aspect of her world to a screeching halt. The scorn ebbed only to be replaced by heady passion as Draco swept his eyes over her, drinking in her exquisite femininity. 

"I don't need to," Draco responded silkily. His eyes narrowed as he offered her his most alluring one-sided smirk, "You do it for me."

__

Oh, PLEASE! Could he get any more arrogant?! Ginny thought while simultaneously enchanted by his devious smile. She cleared her throat and finally managed to avert her eyes.

Draco lifted his chin, glancing down his nose at her as if searching for the meaning behind her lack of response. She was a Weasley, and that itself was a red flag for a short fuse. Why wasn't she hauling off and slapping the hell out of him for his conceit? Maybe he needed to push just one or two more buttons…

"Anyway, I'm sure you wouldn't know flattery if it came up and lit your _horrid_ hair on fire…having never received it, that is. Now, remove yourself from my path." Draco's smirk became more of a sneer as he folded his arms. Ginny just stared at him expressionless. 

"No." Ginny could barely believe that word just came from her mouth…directed to Draco, no less!

"Excuse me?" Draco lifted an eyebrow, not exactly taken aback—although it wasn't what he expected to hear.

"N…never mind," Ginny uttered and stepped out of his way. She really wasn't up to his bullshit and decided it would be best to humor him. Leaning against the wall, Ginny focused on the intricate pattern of the carpet, fully expecting him to just walk away. 

"You've been crying." Draco commented without much concern. Ginny's eyes raised to meet his slowly. All of the noise and clatter from the tavern suddenly seemed so far away. He had said it with no ounce of feeling, and yet somehow it meant something to her. 

"It doesn't matter." Was all she could say as she remained against the wall, suddenly aware of the fact that he _wasn't_ leaving like she had thought he would. Draco studied her for a few moments, the subtle arch of his eyebrow indicating…intrigue? Ginny couldn't decipher, and so she pushed herself from the wall and left Draco alone in the hallway. 

__________________________________________

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Will this rain ever end? Thought Ginny as she stared longingly out of the bay window of her dorm. It was well passed midnight and she couldn't seem to find sleep. The low thrum of the rain against the walls of the ancient castle had been enough to lull the rest of her dorm-mates to sleep, however Ginny's mind was riveted by stray thoughts. Thoughts about her low mark in potions class, thoughts about the upcoming Halloween Feast, thoughts about Harry's passionate kiss with Cho that occurred last year. Then, without warning, her mind drifted to the least likely person imaginable—Draco Malfoy. 

Ginny's encounter with Malfoy in The Three Broomsticks earlier that evening proved to be the most disconcerting, yet fascinating, experience of the day. He was acting as his typical prat bastard self, but something seemed…different about him. In a way, she might have believed he was flirting with her, although that idea was thrown out when she remembered his impolite shove. Oh, how could she forget the degrading comment about how she probably never receives compliments? What was it about him then that seemed so peculiar? He didn't seem so ready to tease her when he noticed she had been crying like she thought he would have—that must have been it. He also kind of…stood there, watching her. _That means nothing._

There was that voice in Ginny's head again. She hadn't always listened to it, and what made her think that she would listen to it this time? _It meant something, I just don't know what…_

Before long, Ginny had dozed off with the image on her mind of Malfoy looking down at her inquisitively. Lucky for her, the bay window was littered with pillows and a rag-tag blanket, which provided at least a minor level of comfort. 

__________________________________________

Staring at the ceiling of his canopy bed, Draco let out a slight groan of irritation as he massaged a sore muscle in his shoulder. It was pointless, there was no way he could sleep with Crabbe and Goyle sawing logs in their sleep—not to mention the annoying patter of rain against the window. Normally he enjoyed the sound of the rain, but tonight too many things were bothering him for him to find comfort in any noise. Not in all of his nearly seven years at Hogwarts had he had a more irritating day than he had today. It's not that too many bad things happened, he just attributed it to not getting enough sleep. 

Well, that wasn't entirely true, he had nearly forgotten about Pansy until just now. _Why? Why does she insist on clinging to **me**?_ He knew it was because he was devilishly handsome, and his charming demeanor probably had a lot to do with it as well—oh, and he was rolling in wealth. But…still. Sometimes she was tolerable, today just wasn't one of those times. 

A very subtle click sound brought him back to his surroundings and he attempted to stare through the thick emerald canopy curtains to see who had entered the dorm. After a moment of silence, he closed his eyes to feign sleep. Someone swept open the curtain of his four poster very slowly, and a very familiar perfumed scent wafted over him. The weight of the person climbing onto his bed sent his eyes jolting open.

"Pansy." Draco muttered in barely a whisper. 

"Yes, it's me." Pansy responded as she reached to close the curtain. "I was hoping you'd want to play a little…I can't sleep."

__

Play? Draco involuntarily shuddered. The very _last_ thing he wanted to do right now was snog with Pansy. He rubbed his eyes and sighed deeply as he felt cold air rushing under his blanket. Pansy had slid beneath his covers and closed off the cold as her body pressed against his. Without hesitating, she went to work, kissing and nipping at his neck as her hand drifted beneath the hem of his shirt. He had to admit, she wasn't so bad at this. As he felt himself relax, he began stroking his fingers through her hair. This encouraged Pansy to bring her hand down to the elastic of his boxers. 

Draco shifted so that he was on his side, which sent her rolling onto her back, and he placed his mouth over hers forcefully. His tongue coaxed hers as he kissed her with bruising force, causing her to moan. Her hands were all over him, clinging and rubbing—and just before she would begin the groping, for a fleeting moment he pictured himself kissing the adorable red-head he had encountered earlier in The Three Broomsticks. 

That, of course, drove him wild for some reason that he wasn't coherent enough to understand at the moment. He imagined that the red-head was beneath him, clinging to him with a desperate need for release, and he shuddered with euphoria. He had always known her name, but he had conveniently forgotten it—along with many other names of the insignificant Gryffindors. Until this moment, that is.

"Ginny…"Draco breathed as he brought his mouth to Pansy's neck. Of course, she stiffened.

"What did you just say?" Pansy asked accusingly, her voice shrill. Draco blinked out of his revere and inwardly berated himself.

__

Okay, what the hell was that…Draco thought as he played the past few minutes over in his mind. He was sure that he had said it. _Ginny_. He was even _more_ sure that he was pretending that Pansy was her. 

"Just go. I'm too tired and my head hurts." Draco said, annoyed, as he pushed away from Pansy. Pansy lied there for a minute, unsure of if she should slap him or cry. When she had gotten the hint that he wasn't planning on touching her anymore, she huffed and stormed out of the dorm, slamming the door behind her.

__________________________________________

The next morning, the Dream Team made its way across the courtyard, talking excitedly to one another. Ginny trailed behind them with her friend, Mei Lien Chang, Cho Chang's little sister. Mei Lien was a year younger than Ginny, and had befriended her in a Healing Arts tutoring session. Mei, as Ginny often called her, and Ginny slowed their pace as they neared the water fountain, and watched as the Dream Team continued on their way to Hagrid's hut. 

"They are always excited about something." Mei stated with her thick Chinese accent. 

Ginny nodded and offered a shrug. "I just let 'em live in their own world."

"I think that Hermione is lucky to always be with such cute boys." Mei laughed a little and sat on the edge of the fountain, followed by Ginny who sat down next to her. Ginny wasn't sure if she totally agreed. I mean sure, Harry was definitely cute. _Handsome_ was more like it—but her brother? _Well, I guess he's all right._ Not really in the mood to discuss cute boys, Ginny turned to her friend and politely changed the subject.

"How was your day yesterday? I feel bad that you weren't able to go to Hogsmeade." 

Mei ran a hand through her sleek black hair and smiled a little. "It was all right. I got a lot of that Transfiguration paper done that I was complaining about." 

"Oh that's good." Ginny responded with a warm smile. Their discussion lasted for a few more minutes, until Mei Lien had to take off for her next class. Ginny was glad that she was able to arrange her schedule so that she had just about every day after one o'clock free to do whatever she wanted. Feeling rather bored, Ginny fished through her bag for something to read until the Dream Team returned from their daily meeting with Hagrid. 

For some reason, Ginny could not seem to focus on the book. Her mind drifted off into some obscure oblivion before she realized she had turned the page without any idea what she just read. The shuffle of footsteps approaching at a swift pace distracted her from any attempt to reread, and she glanced up just in time for her right cheek to be met by a fierce punch. Caught off guard, Ginny fell back flailing into the murky fountain water. The sharp sting from the punch sent her reeling as she struggled to regain her sense of surroundings. She felt another fist slam against her upper arm, followed by her head being lifted from the water by her hair. 

Ginny looked up to her attacker—who pulled mercilessly at her hair, screaming about something she could barely understand for the throbbing pain in her cheek.

"You dirty slut! How dare you even think about touching my man!" A shrill voice echoed over the courtyard. Ginny finally regained her senses as she recognized her assailant as none other than Pansy Parkinson. _What does she have against me all of a sudden?_

Ginny wasted no time and landed a forceful kick into Pansy's shin. Shrieking, Pansy let go of Ginny's hair and fell back onto the cobblestone, clutching her leg. Before long, a cluster of observers had surrounded them, chanting _fight, fight, fight._ Drenched and rightfully pissed off, Ginny scowled down at Pansy and chose to take this moment to storm away. She knew she had at least fractured Pansy's shin, and boy did it feel good. 

__

That'll teach her to come flying up to me like a mad harpy cursing about things that she probably hallucinated. Yeah, that's it, hallucinations caused by inhaling so much of that nasty perfume she wears.

"Nice kick, Weasley." A voice drawled from behind as Ginny passed a corridor on her way into the castle. She paused, recognizing his voice, and turned to glare at him.

"Thanks, Malfoy. Out of my way or I'll practice it on you." Ginny spat, narrowing her eyes. Draco couldn't help but find her unthreatening—all soaking wet with her hair dripping and a mark on her face that was swiftly turning an ugly shade of blue. 

"I do not appear to be in your way, Weasley. You're clearly heading in that direction." Draco casually pointed down the hall, and then leaned back against the wall, offering her a smirk. Ginny fumed more and made a noise of disgust.

"But you're _bothering_ me." She added.

"All you have to do is walk away." Draco offered indifferently, quite enjoying the view of this soaking wet redhead. He knew she wouldn't walk away—not from _him._

Ginny fixed him with a look that could cast curses in multiple languages. He sounded so patronizing, so degrading—and yet so charming. Her face softened a little as she continued to stare at him. He wore dark robes of some expensive material that she couldn't name, and was poised so casually—yet with an air of confidence that made him all the more enticing. The uninterested expression on his face remained as she suddenly realized she was staring. She bit her lip and hesitated to walk away, but the throbbing pain in her cheek reminded her that she needed to tend to it right away.

"Don't be so defiant. Just walk away and I won't bother you anymore." Draco said simply. Something about the way he seemed so aloof and uncaring made Ginny want to do something that would make him care._ What am I thinking?!_

Without saying anything more, Ginny turned to continue on her way into the castle. Draco stood silently, leering with triumph as he watched her leave. 

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A/N: What do you think? I've got a pretty twisted love story coming up in the next few chapters, so I hope this was a good start. Thank you so much for reading!! Please review. =) 


	2. Solace in the Storm

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Disclaimer: The characters and places in this fanfic (Except Mei Lien Chang) belong to J.K. Rowling and respective companies. I do not claim anything in this story except the plot and Mei Lien (Maybe some other new characters coming up in later chapters, which will be stated.) This fic also contains situations that warrant the PG-13 rating. Please enjoy! =)

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Still It Rains

_

    How long have you been lost down here?
Where did you come to lose your way?
    When did you realize that you'd never be free…?
_

-Miranda Sex Garden

Chapter 2: Solace in the Storm

Ginny returned to her sixth year dorm from the infirmary after the bruise on her cheek had been healed and after she had taken a warm, cleansing shower. Sighing heavily, she leaned back against the door, pressing it firmly shut. Thankfully, the dorm was vacant. Ginny could use the time to herself for a change. She moved across the cozy, circular room to her four poster and drew back the wispy scarlet curtain. Without hesitation, she threw herself on the comfortable mattress and stared longingly through the curtains and out of the window on the opposite wall. 

Now that everything was quiet and peaceful, her mind began to roam heedlessly to the events earlier in the day. She could have sworn she heard Pansy squeal something about keeping her hands off of 'her man.' She made the torrid realization as the couple of brief recent encounters with Malfoy surfaced in her thoughts. Pansy has always fancied herself as Malfoy's girl, although he usually seemed genuinely uninterested in her. 

A light knock at the door roused Ginny from contemplation. She glanced over as the door swung open slowly, causing the entire room to breathe and the windows to inhale the gauzy gold and crimson curtains against their open frames. 

"Ginny?" A small voice called. It was Mei Lien, probably concerned after catching up on the latest gossip that occurred in the courtyard after she had gone to her classes.

"Yeah? Come in, I'm just lamenting as usual." Ginny mused, peering through the canopy curtains. Mei walked to Ginny's side of the room and sat in the red velvet reading chair, facing Ginny. Ginny pushed the curtains wide and perched on the side of the bed, her legs crossed and her shoulders slouched. 

"I heard that Pansy beat you up." Mei said, concern dripping from her demure voice. Ginny made a face, groaning. She _knew_ the situation would become twisted and contrived as it traveled from one loose mouth to the next.

"Well, I guess she tried to. I don't even know why though, something about how I was touching her man." 

"Who is her man?"

"You know how she always hangs off that prat, Malfoy? Well, I think she meant…"

"You were touching Malfoy!?"

"No, I…"

"Ginny, I thought you loved Harry?" Mei had scooted up to the edge of her seat.

"I don't _love_ Harry. I never touched Malfoy, either—let me clarify that. Anyway…Mei, I thought I loved Harry, but I was so young. It's just infatuation that I can't seem to get over. I have accepted the fact that he'll just see me as his best friend's little sister and nothing more." Ginny paused for a long while, the emotion beginning to build up in her chest. She didn't even know what love was…right? Sometimes she wanted to believe that, other times she couldn't think of any other way to describe how she felt about Harry. Every time she looked at him…

"You never know, maybe one day he'll open his eyes. He isn't even dating my sister anymore. You know they decided to break up after she graduated…he probably doesn't think of her anymore." Mei consoled, moving to sit next to Ginny on the bed. She wished she hadn't brought Harry up at all, knowing that on the surface Ginny put on a mask of strength and spirit, but underneath she was deeper than the ocean.

Ginny sighed. "Really, that doesn't matter to me. I've moved on, gotten over it, however you'd want to say it." Somehow actually saying that out loud helped a little. Unsure exactly how she got off on that tangent, she hoped that Mei had not taken her rambling as a hint of suppressed feelings. She stood from the bed and grabbed her hooded cloak. "I'm going for a walk," she stated while sweeping the verdant material around her slender shoulders. "I'll be back in a little while, I need some fresh air."

"I'll come with you." Mei stood and smoothed out her dark Ravenclaw robes. 

"I kind of want to have some time to myself. You know, to think. I hope you don't mind…" Ginny said, teetering on the verge of guilt.

"Oh, okay. I understand. I hope you feel better, Ginny. Don't let that Parkinson girl bother you though. I'm sure she's the type of girl who'd be jealous if someone so much as sat in the same room with Malfoy." Mei suggested, truly worried about her friend. 

Ginny smiled meekly, opened the door and headed down the stairs to the common room. She glanced back to Mei, who was following behind, before she stepped over the threshold as the entrance painting swung open, "Yeah, she must have seen me walk passed him or something—how risqué. Well, thanks for understanding, I'll probably stop by and see you later."

"All right. If I'm not in the common room, look for me in the library." Mei smiled brightly, then took off down the hallway towards the Ravenclaw dormitory. 

________________________________

The halls of Hogwarts were alive this evening with the bustle of students meandering on their way to whatever destination they had in mind. Ginny dodged a few mindless wanderers and gossiping witches on her way to the courtyard, and slipped through unnoticed to the grounds. Regardless of the fact that the sky threatened rain at any moment, she continued on her way to the lake. 

Around the edges of the lake curled a worn trail that appeared to have been forged by the footsteps of students trodding on the grass over the course of many years. As she reached the trail, she gazed momentarily over the surface of the lake. The water was uncomfortably still and reflected the looming clouds as if to warn Ginny that the sky was about to fall. Shivering with the mid-autumn breeze, she gathered the cloak around her shoulders tighter and continued along the trail.

The worn trail carried Ginny away from the lake so that it paralleled the Hogwarts Express train tracks. Squinting, she could almost make out them just over the horizon. It was getting too dark to see them clearly, and so she aligned her vision straight ahead in the direction of the Forbidden Forest. She had traveled this path more times than she could remember, however the idea of walking along side the dark and unnatural forest always managed to give her chills. 

Just ahead, she could make out the resting bench, which was shrouded by a small grove of saplings and newly planted flowerbeds. The second and third years had worked on this project in Herbology, and therefore the flowers and saplings were of a wizarding variety—not to be found anywhere in the muggle world. Ginny sat on the bench, facing away from the foreboding forest, and stared over the long stretch of land between her and the cliffs of Hogwarts. Thunder rolled lazily through the sky in the distance, which brought Ginny's attention back to the clouds. She could observe them bubbling and shifting, building up for the storm that would soon drench the land. Even though there was threat of tumultuous rain, she couldn't help but feel calm. 

The serene moment alone was soon interrupted by an all too familiar silky drawl. "Ahh, look. I found a weasel. Not often that you see wildlife lazing around this close to the Forbidden Forest." Ginny could practically hear the sneer in the timbre of his voice. 

"What's this? A talking ferret?" Ginny taunted as she glanced at Draco sidelong. Feeling slightly perturbed that she had found him even remotely attractive during their encounter in The Three Broomsticks, she was sure that it would never happen again. 

The corner of Draco's mouth twitched as if he would smirk, but he was able to display a visage of indifference as he afforded her his gaze. "Aw. How cute…an attempt to hurt my feelings." Ginny glared at him, annoyed beyond comprehension at his deft tongue. Knowing there was not a chance in the world for her to compete with his clever comebacks, she just stood and began to walk away.

"Oh, I don't think so, Weasley. I'll not have you walk away from me a third time. We were just beginning to be…pals." Draco followed after her, the smirk finally gracing his angular countenance. Noticing that Ginny had picked up her pace to get away from him, he reached out and grabbed her shoulder, causing her to flail.

"Get your hands OFF me!" She wheeled around to face him while swiping his hand away harshly. "Do you think I am going to just put up with your childish bullying? _Pals?_ I hardly think so. It's about to storm, if you haven't noticed, so I am going inside before I get soaked. What are you doing out here anyway? Trying to follow me? Going to set me up again so that terrible girlfriend of yours will attack me out of nowhere in the courtyard?" 

Draco hardly appeared to be affected by her berating tone. She was undoubtedly attractive when she was angry, he thought. The way her face blushed with the heat of fury and how the fiery auburn tresses framed her heart-shaped face to enhance the light dapple of ginger freckles. He followed the contour of her neck, noticing how the fiery strands of hair brushed against her flesh and fell back behind her shoulders, pooling into the slightly gaping hood of her cloak. Realizing he had just spent the last few moments staring at her, he quickly stiffened and resorted to his typical uninterested demeanor. 

"What?" Ginny interjected, destroying the silence. "Have I rendered you speechless?" Draco scoffed at that, lifting his chin in defiance.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. What were you saying?" He breathed a sigh of relief that he was able to take control of the conversation once again.

"You are such a prat, Malfoy." Glaring up at him, she brushed a stray strand of hair from her cinnamon flecked brown eyes. A few drops of rain began to fall, and she turned around to leave. She just wasn't going to put up with him anymore. This was turning out to be one of the worst days she has had in a while.

"Pull your hood up, Weasley. You wouldn't want to mess your hair up even further in the rain." Draco followed after her, his casual gait causing him to fall behind a few feet. Ginny paused on the trail and pulled up her hood—just in time for the downpour. Rain began to fall in thick sheets, pelting them like a shower of shrapnel. Draco swore loudly and pulled up his hood, tendrils of silvery blond hair now sticking to his temples. Ginny laughed at him, whirling around. Her hood fell back with her movement and she allowed the rain to soak her hair without a worry. 

Draco was not amused. "Keep going and stop prancing around like an idiot."

"Oh, lighten up. It's not like you're going to melt or anything. You don't have to walk with me, you know. If you want to hurry up go right ahead." Ginny flashed him a playful grin as she stomped in a puddle, splashing murky rainwater everywhere. Draco rolled his eyes and sighed, quickening his pace. He _knew_ he shouldn't have come out here to take a walk when the threat of rain was so obvious. Not wanting to outright admit she was right, he continued to walk swiftly away from her. Ginny remained where he left her, watching his retreating back. The rain began to soak through her cloak, and she groaned, realizing she had forgotten to put on her Hogwarts uniform robes. Slowly, she began to walk. Now that she was soaking wet, she really felt no need to hurry for shelter. 

A strobe flash of lightning illuminated the early evening sky, followed by a roar of thunder. Ginny gasped at the sudden violence that the storm was beginning to unleash and broke into a sprint. She ran, frightened, straight for Draco, who appeared much less concerned than she. Another peal of thunder howled through the sky, and the wind whipped through Draco's robes. He was very thankful he had worn his Hogwarts robes, so he appeared to be dry. The locks of silvery hair that had slipped from their place before he pulled on his hood were beginning to dry against his forehead and temples. As Ginny caught up with him, she couldn't help but feel a _little_ more protected from the elements with him walking next to her. Draco shifted his eyes to peer down at her and smirked slightly. Blinking away the rain, Ginny forced herself to look away from him. Just because she was relieved that she wasn't alone didn't mean she enjoyed his company. 

The storm raged on as they neared the cliffs, not a word passing between them. The trail led them to the entrance of the courtyard, and Draco paused below a covered walkway. 

"Well now. That was a rather nice swim." Draco mused; the mocking tone of his voice barely resonated above a roll of thunder. Ginny scowled at him and grabbed the hem of her robes, wringing out the rainwater. Draco leaned against the wall, just as dry as he was before the rain. He pulled the hood from his head and ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back.

Ginny wrung out her hair, avoiding his sardonic gaze. "Oh, do shut up," she muttered as she pealed off her wet cloak. Hardly noticing the way Draco was staring at her, she proceeded to squeeze the excess water from the hem of the cloak. Draco raised an eyebrow, unable to tear his eyes away from how the drenched cornflower blue wrap skirt clung to her legs, defining her hips, her thighs, and down to her calves. The skirt came to rest at her ankles and was laced with mud and muck. Her shoes were nowhere near their original color and he scarcely cared to guess as his eyes trailed back up her willowy figure. The white peasant blouse stuck to her skin, yet there was a flowery pattern sewn around the drawstring which _almost_ obscured his view of her bra. He felt slightly guilty, staring at her as if she were some wanton sex goddess. 

Ginny turned a little, reaching down to wring out the hem of her skirt. The mud was transferred to her fingers and she cursed softly, feeling nothing short of…gross. Lightning flashed brightly just before she felt something warm being wrapped around her shoulders. She glanced up in time to see Draco smoothing out a bunched hem at the small of her back. His cloak was so warm, and she pulled it around her body tighter.

"Thank you…" Staring up at him intently, she couldn't help but find that gesture rather…uncharacteristic of him. The silver and green Slytherin badge shimmered up at Ginny, and she began to realize just how uncharacteristic of her it was to linger here in his presence. 

"Yes, well, next time you go traipsing through the rain, wear a black shirt. That is, unless you don't mind flashing your training bra for all to see."

Ginny went livid with a combination of embarrassment and rage and was about to strike him when a third voice interjected, causing an uncontrollable flutter of butterflies in her stomach.

"Malfoy, what are you doing out here with her?" It was Harry. He looked at Draco, then to Ginny, and back to Draco with eyebrows furrowed. Draco's expression fell into that of bitter resentment at the sight of Harry.

"Harry…" Ginny murmured, biting her lower lip. Had he come out to look for her? She couldn't help but to smile dotingly at the thought.

"Potter, sometimes I think you enjoy creating peril out of every situation you encounter."

"Shut up, Malfoy. I hardly think you're innocent." Harry glared at him, then moved over to Ginny, his face contorted in confusion as to why she was wearing Draco's cloak. Draco narrowed his eyes and watched them impassively for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the sky. The storm had died down to a great degree with only the random heat lightning pulsing through the clouds in the distance. Misty drizzle continued, and fog began to creep up over the grounds. 

"Ginny, let's go inside. Here, you can have my cloak…it wouldn't look right if you walked into the common room wearing…that," Harry offered as he began to pull Draco's cloak off of her shoulders. Ginny allowed him to switch the robes while she looked over to Draco intently. He appeared distracted by the weather, and she couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in the ethereal darkness. The only light was that from the torches that flanked either side of the entrance door to the castle. Their glow cast long shadows over the courtyard and enhanced the silvery strands of Draco's hair. She caught herself staring and quickly looked back to Harry, who was fastening the brooch of his cloak at her throat. Smiling, she delighted in gazing up into Harry's profound green eyes.

"How touching." Draco drawled, hardly finding the moment touching. Harry shoved the Slytherin cloak in Draco's direction and Draco snatched it from him indignantly. Ginny quietly observed the two of them, wary of the possibility of a fight. 

"Go crawl back into that dungeon of yours, Malfoy," Harry said resentfully. He turned to Ginny and gave her a gentle push so that she'd walk with him, "Come on, Ginny. Ron was really worried about you."

"I was fine, really." Ginny felt rather guilty that Harry assumed Draco was up to no good. Although he had been rude, Draco surely didn't do anything to warrant such concern. 

"What?" Harry was walking with her now, leaving Draco behind.

"We were just talking." 

"I see. You should just be careful around him," Harry said with a whisper. "There are rumors going around about his affiliation with the Death Eaters."

"Yes, I know. I usually don't pay much attention to rumors unless I hear it straight from the mouth of the person who the rumors are about."

"That's good, usually, but this rumor is more of a warning than gossip." Harry added. Ginny glanced back for a moment to find that Draco was gone. She sighed deeply, a mixture of elation and unrest constricting her heart. The moment she had always dreamed of—Harry walking with her and showing concern, was disturbed by the undefined emotions her encounter with Draco had roused. 

___________________________

Draco clinched his jaw bitterly as he returned to the Slytherin common room. He was greeted by the Slytherins that lounged by the fire, yet he made no response as he made his way to his dorm. Pealing off his robes, he parted the curtain of his four poster and lied down. He rolled up his sleeve and brushed his fingertips over the Dark Mark that glared at him from his forearm. It was inky black, freshly engraved, and stood out starkly from his pale skin. 

"You'll always be there to remind me that I'm nothing more than a marionette." A grim smile tugged at his lips. The fiery image of Ginny livid with resentment at his scathing words during their stroll through the rain burned in his mind. He found himself admiring her freedom—but he _refused_ to believe that he was drawn to her. Pulling the sleeve back over the mark, he added, "and that I'll never be free." 

A/N: Oh, I'm not anywhere near finished yet. It's just beginning! Thank you to everyone who reviewed Chapter 1, the suggestions and compliments were very helpful. I can only hope you liked this chapter also! =)


	3. Moon Flowers and Nyteveil

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Disclaimer: The characters and places in this fanfic (Except Mei Lien Chang and Professor Sylvermir) belong to J.K. Rowling and respective companies. I do not claim anything in this story except the plot and Mei Lien & Professor Sylvermir. This fic also contains situations that warrant the PG-13 rating. Please enjoy! =)

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Still it Rains

Chapter 3: Moon Flowers and Nyteveil

The candles were nearly burned to the end of their wicks. Draco had poured over the large leather bound tome practically all night long. He sat in an emerald cushioned chair; legs propped upon the matching footstool. A mug of cinnamon and nutmeg spiced coffee hovered in the air to his right, suspended by a levitation charm. Draco took a sip and placed it back in its floating position, then tilted the book back up so that he could read. Turning to page seven hundred thirty-eight, he heaved a sigh and glanced up to the magic operated grandfather clock. _One fifty-two in the morning_. Rubbing his temples, he shifted his weight and continued to read on the next page. He felt as if sleep would claim him any moment, but he desperately needed to study for the Defense Against the Dark Arts test that would take place the following morning.

Unfortunately, the lulling atmosphere of the Slytherin common room made it relentlessly difficult for him to remain awake. The breathy hum of the fire in the fireplace whispered through the darkness as its flames cast dancing shadows along the stone walls. Glowing like captured faeries, the candles in the iron chandeliers hung low to provide scant reading light. Of course, there was also the ever so often purr of thunder, muted greatly by the thick Hogwarts walls and the depth at which the Slytherin dorm resided in the ancient castle. 

__

When ever will this storm end? I swear it has lasted for several days now. Draco thought, too distracted with the need to sleep to concentrate on reading. His head lolled to the side, resting back against the cushion of the chair, and sleep finally claimed him. It wasn't long before images began to flicker in his mind—building and building until they formed the landscape of his dreams. 

__

"Draco?"

"Yes, I'm here. Where are we?"

"I…I don't know."

Draco squinted into the darkness, unable to see anything. From the way their voices resonated, he could tell they were indoors, and that wherever they were, it was cold and damp. His companion muttered a charm spell, and a glow was emitted from a wand tip. This provided substantial light so that he could tell that they were in a very small stone room without a door, a window, or anything. Glancing up to his companion, he took note of her thick glossy tresses of red laced with gold, like autumn leaves, and the tattered appearance of her robes. She turned around to face him, and the light from her wand cast starkly contrasting shadows across her visage.

"How do we get out?" Ginny asked. She placed a hand on the cold stone wall, tracing the grooves with her fingertips.

"Maybe there's a loose stone, or a password."

"Mm. Maybe…" Ginny followed the line between the stones all the way to a corner, where her hand slipped through the wall as if it weren't even there. Gasping, she pulled her hand back.

"What?" Draco peered over her shoulder, a thin line etched between his brows as he studied the corner where she was staring. 

"Watch." Ginny whispered, then tentatively brushed her fingertips across the surface of the stone until she reached the corner, where her fingertips disappeared. She continued to slowly press her hand through the wall, and Draco observed as the wall consumed her hand, then her wrist, then halfway up her forearm before she pulled it back out.

"Oh, an invisible wall." Draco mused, eager to get out of the cramped space. Ginny gathered her courage and pushed through the corner and out to the other side. Draco followed soon after and found himself standing next to Ginny in a well-lit house. Extinguishing the glow of her wand, Ginny stepped forward on the creaking floorboards. Draco began wandering around the house, not finding it the least bit bizarre that there was no furniture and the walls were barren. He didn't even feel the need to question where he was. Approaching a closed door, he paused and reached for the handle. Slowly, he pressed the door open and before taking a step, he noticed that from wall to wall there was a crystal blue swimming pool. 

"Oh, you'll love this!!" Draco shouted, extremely out of character, as he jumped into the water. He swam around for a while, and when Ginny didn't respond, he began to get a little worried. Looking around, he tried to find a way out, because the door through which he had entered was no longer there. He found a window and burst through it, shattering glass all over the porch outside. Brushing the slivers of glass from his soaking robes, he glanced up to see Ginny standing in the distance. She was very still, not even the wind seemed to move her hair or her cloak. All around the house appeared to be fields of yellow wildflowers for as far as the eye could see. Ginny stood at the brink between the slightly overgrown yard and the field of flowers, and Draco stared at her, an overwhelming sense of fear and insecurity washed over him. 

"Ginny?" He called out to her in barely a whisper, his voice drowned out by what sounded like a crowd of people talking all around him and laughing. He whirled around frantically, and desperately attempted to cover up the Dark Mark that appeared to glow brightly through the sleeve of his robes. 

Draco began to run. He took off through the field of yellow wildflowers, and after running what seemed like hours, the voices finally faded away. He stood in the midst of the flowers as they danced around his shins. The wind had picked up, and he felt rather cold in his damp robes. Fear had not left him yet, however, and he peered around nervously, fully expecting something to lunge out at him. Taking deep breaths, he stared intently at the horizon now, at how beautiful the sky looked all laced with wispy white clouds.

There was a loud crashing sound all around him, echoing over the field, followed by something approaching him at a terribly unrealistic speed. The closer it got, the more he could see that it was a person! Before he could turn to run, the person was there in his face, with wild eyes.

"Go away from here!" Ginny screamed, her voice so shrill and haunting that…

Draco woke with a gasp, his body drenched with sweat and his heart racing. It took a minute for him to become accustomed to his surroundings, and he looked down to see that the mug of coffee had fallen and shattered into a few pieces while he was sleeping. The coffee had splattered everywhere, creating a sticky mess on the chair and the stone floor. _That must have been the weird crashing noise I heard in the last part of that…bloody horrible dream._

The book he was studying lay opened on his lap, and he closed it and slowly stood. Things were awfully quiet in the Slytherin common room. Without the blessing of sunlight, since the Slytherin dormitory resided in the dungeons, he couldn't tell whether it was day or night. Yawning, he stretched his arms and glanced at the clock. 

Draco swore and went swiftly to his dorm room to get his clothes and shower necessities. It was after ten thirty in the morning, and he had already missed his first class. Hurrying to the shower room, he took one tornado of a shower and began to get dressed, cursing along the way. He _hated_ not being able to make sure every hair was in place and every article of clothing was without a wrinkle. Finally, he was at least mildly satisfied with his appearance, and hurried out of the common room and down the hallways to the Transfiguration classroom. _At least I haven't missed my Dark Arts class yet…I just hope McGonagall doesn't hold me over after Transfiguration or I might be late for that also._ Draco thought as he slowed to a steady walk so that he could catch his breath.

At last, Draco reached the Transfiguration classroom. He was twenty minutes late, and just knew that McGonagall would give him a nice sentence of detention. Lifting his chin with confidence, he strolled into the classroom as if it was perfectly fine for him to walk in late. The class was already engaged in their daily assignment, and McGonagall was moving around the room, observing and assisting when needed. Draco almost went unnoticed, since everyone was concentrating to the point that they were able to drown out most anything around them. McGonagall, however, was as attentive as ever, and glided over to his desk the moment he slipped into his seat. 

"Mr. Malfoy, you are twenty minutes late." McGonagall glared down her nose at him, pointing out the obvious. Draco afforded her his gaze and unapologetically began taking out the materials he would need for class. McGonagall continued, "You will serve detention for this. This is the second time this week that you have been late. I suppose deducting points from your house isn't enough to prevent your tardiness."

Draco thought about arguing, noticing that virtually all eyes were upon him. Deducting points never worked much, mainly because he won points for Slytherin on a daily basis during Potions. Ron was smiling triumphantly at him from across the room, which sent a wave of anger over Draco and made him forget all about responding to McGonagall's detention sentence. He forgot all about it, until she revealed exactly what he would have to do, that is.

"Tonight, you will go out with a small group of Healing Arts students to the Forbidden Forest, where you will assist them in foraging for several of the herbs and other healing ingredients they need for an upcoming assignment. Professor Sylvermir, the Healing Arts professor, will not be able to make it, so you will be responsible for escorting the students."

__

So I have to go pick flowers with a bunch of losers. Draco just stared at her after she spoke, and then unaffectedly went back to copying down some notes from the blackboard. He knew this would infuriate her, his expertise in the art of aloofness, however at the same time he hoped that it would not incur a more vicious detention. McGonagall must have gotten used to his behavior over the years, and appeared to be ignoring it. He usually showed up for his detentions, no matter how he acted when he received it. This was her reassurance. It was his responsibility. Maybe tonight would be one of those times he chose to rebel. _And face double detentions and maybe even an essay?_

He hated giving in.

____________________

Later that evening, a small group of Healing Arts students, consisting of Ginny Weasley, Padme Patil, and Neville Longbottom were gathered at the front of the castle, waiting for the appropriate hour to depart for the Forbidden Forest. The sun had set not too long ago, leaving the clear night sky to a host twinkling stars and a full moon. The air was crisp and cool, and carried the scent of distant rain. 

"Where's Professor Sylvermir?" Neville asked to no one in particular as he lit a lantern. 

"Not sure. She said she'd be here by now. It's almost time to forage the herbs." Ginny responded, sitting down on a stone bench. Padme unrolled a parchment of notes about where the herbs grow and when to harvest them. She glanced it over intently, and then made a gesture to the moon. "The moon is almost in the position that Professor Sylvermir illustrated in class."

Ginny nodded subtly, staring up at the clear night sky. They were standing just in the archway that lead to the courtyard, and her thoughts returned to the other day when she had paused with Draco in this same location. The feel of being wrapped in his warm cloak had stayed with her ever since. She had seen him in the Great Hall in the three days after that incident, and always found herself sneaking fleeting glances over to the Slytherin table just to see what he was doing. He was typically carrying on conversation with his fellow Slytherins, oblivious to her existence. Although he infuriated her with his insufferable condescending behavior, she couldn't help but wonder about him. Why was he like that? What would it take to make him break? _Why am I thinking about him?!_

Ginny quickly conjured up the image of Harry in her mind, and smiled faintly. He seemed to have been taking on some kind of interest in her lately, one that she couldn't quite determine whether if it was a crush or just brotherly overprotection. She felt a hand on her shoulder, which roused her from her thoughts, and she turned to glance behind her. It was Harry, his piercing green eyes searching her face for any indication of what she was thinking.

"Hello, Gin. You ready to head out?" He asked calmly. Ginny stared at him pensively, wondering why he was here.

"Yeah. We were waiting for Professor Sylvermir. You're coming with us?" She asked.

"Yes. I got detention in Professor Snape's class for botching up a potion demonstration." Harry rolled his eyes as he thought of the situation. "I was told that I would be escorting you to the forest as my detention. Professor Sylvermir isn't going to be able to make it. We have to wait for Ron and Hermione though."

"Did they get detention too?" Neville asked, overhearing their conversation.

"Yeah." Harry answered, "See, the demonstration was botched because… well Snape called us up there on the spot, me and Ron. He asked us to put together a potion that we were going to learn that day—that we hadn't even learned yet. So, of course we had no idea what we were doing. The ingredients were up there, and since we have knowledge of potion making, we tried our best. When Snape came over to look at it, it kind of…bubbled up into his face. It didn't do much but scald him. He was pretty set off."

"Why was Hermione given detention?" Neville asked.

"For attempting to stick up for us." Harry answered. Hermione and Ron approached the group soon after Harry finished speaking, and were greeted by the rest. 

"This doesn't seem like much of a detention, really." Ron commented. "It'll be like a party in the woods!"

"Ron, we have to search for herbs that are extremely rare. We might be out there all night. We haven't got time to fool around." Hermione said firmly. She moved over to Padme to look over the scroll with her. A conversation between them ensued, about where they would go and exactly what they were to be looking out for. Another scroll was sticking out of Padme's robe pocket, and she reached for it while allowing Hermione to hold the other scroll. Once she had fished out the map scroll, she took the scroll of notes back from Hermione and put it in the pocket of her robes.

"I have a rather crude map here," Padme said, turning to the group. "It should help us out some. I made a couple of copies of it in case we need to split up."

"Smart thinking," said Harry as she offered the scroll to him. He unrolled it and inside of the larger scroll were two smaller, hand drawn versions of the same map. 

"So, there will be no professor to escort us?" Neville inquired, beginning to feel a little more wary about going into the forest.

"No, but we should all be okay. I find it unusual also, but they have allowed seventh years to go to the forest before. Only it was usually in daylight." Harry answered. He turned to Hermione, who stood nearby, and leaned down to her ear a little. "Something tells me there is more to this than just a walk through the forest. Do you get that feeling?"

Hermione pondered for a moment, "That thought hadn't crossed my mind, but now that you mention it…"

Ginny turned to the group after staring at the sky for a few moments, "You know, it almost seems odd that it isn't raining now. It has been raining for quite a long time now, and the lake is flooding its banks. The grass along the way to the forest is going to be terribly mushy."

"Yeah, but there is rain in the distance. I can smell it on the breeze." Padme added. 

"It's just weather, nothing unusual about it raining a lot in this part of the world." Ron said.

"Well, is this the lot of us? We should get going." Harry said, handing the map to Hermione, and the group then headed out on their way to the Forbidden Forest. Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Padme walked ahead while Ginny fell behind a few steps. Harry allowed his steps to fall behind along with her, and he glanced over to her, wondering if something was bothering her.

"Are you all right there, Gin?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just a little nervous about going into those woods. I don't feel right about all of this." Ginny answered. She couldn't help but look up to him, her face alight with a soft smile. He could tell she was blushing, even in the darkness. He knew that she had always had a crush on him, and wasn't sure whether or not her feelings had deepened to something more substantial. She was pretty, he thought, and she had a wonderful personality, but she just felt too much like a sister to him. He had decided that too much was going on with him now to allow himself to fall for anyone. Maybe if things were different, but for all he knew, death could be right around the corner. Death Eater activity had elevated to surpass what it was in the past, before Voldemort went dormant after giving Harry his scar. He was also constantly getting involved in the latest Voldemort scheme. 

Ginny suspected that Harry was in deep thought, and just allowed the silence to pass between them. An eruption of laughter was heard just ahead as the rest of the group shared some kind of inside joke, or maybe Neville tripped. Whatever it was, Ginny wasn't paying much attention. Every ounce of her attention was diverted to the fact that Harry was walking next to her, so close that their hands had accidentally brushed together once or twice. _If that happens again, I swear I am going to grab his hand and hold it!_

Footsteps were heard not too far behind, and Harry paused, turning to see who it was. Ginny stopped as well, and the rest of the group was too far ahead to notice. Draco was approaching them casually, his face expressionless. As he drew closer, his eyes shifted to Ginny briefly. He had almost forgotten that she just so happened to be one of these loser healer students, but why was Potter here?

"Malfoy. What are you doing here?" Harry moved to stand between Ginny and Draco, crossing his arms loosely over his chest.

"I came out here to lure you deep into the forest and kill you for my master." Draco answered coolly, and punctuated his comment with a sardonic smirk. Harry slowly let his hands drop, and reached for his wand, just in case. He didn't really believe that Malfoy would just blurt something like that out if it were true.

Draco watched in a detached sort of way as Harry reached for his wand. "Don't get your knickers in a bunch. If I were going to kill you, I wouldn't give away my strategy." Draco commented, and glanced over Ginny's shoulder. "We're losing them."

"What do you mean 'we'? Don't tell me that you're coming with us," said Harry. 

"Yes, I'm coming with you. Detention. It's not as if I'd just enjoy coming along for any other reason." Draco drawled and began walking passed Harry and Ginny. As he neared the other group, he groaned—a billion swears and curses flooding through his mind. _Granger? Weasley?! This has got to be the worst detention ever._ He decided he wouldn't make himself known to them yet, and just followed behind like a shadow. 

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Ginny asked to Harry.

"I guess…but we should keep our eye out on him. I don't think he realizes there isn't a professor with us. If he knew, he probably wouldn't have shown up." Harry answered, and they began walking once again.

Once everyone reached the edge of the forest, they hesitated momentarily. After discussing which direction they would go, they took off again in the thick underbrush that skirted the forest floor. It wasn't too long before the underbrush gave way to a thick carpet of leaves and twigs, still damp from the rain, that snapped and crackled beneath their feet. Neville had cast a levitation charm on the lantern, and it hovered like a ghost just ahead of them to light their path. The forest was alive with a myriad of noises from a variety of unearthly creatures. A cawing overhead, a howl far in the distance, and an enduring wail were just a few of the sounds that made up this foreboding symphony. Only the incessant croaking of frogs helped to remind them that they had not taken a walk into a muggle horror movie. 

"Okay, now what does that scroll say about where we can find the herbs?" Neville asked as they stopped in a small clearing, his voice trembling a little. Over the years he had picked up quite a bit of courageousness, however in situations like this, when the unknown was severely more prominent, he tended to revert a little. The moonlight struggled to pierce the thick canopy, leaving the floating lantern to fend off the shadows itself, and overall the group felt wary and on guard.

"Well, they both glow, so they shouldn't be too hard to spot. According to this, the Moon Flower herb can be found clinging to the cracks of rocks, and the other, Nyteveil can be found closer to water," Padme informed. "It has been raining a lot lately, and this says that the Moon Flower glows brighter when it rains, but the Nyteveil glows much dimmer. It may be more difficult to find. I wonder if there is a place in this forest where we can find a lot of rocks?" 

Hermione unrolled the map scroll, "According to this map, there is a lake about…fifteen kilometers from here, and another, smaller, lake about twenty kilometers from here. There is also a prominent outcropping of rocks at the foot of the mountains, which is thirty kilometers from here. I have a feeling we may be out here all night." 

"Doesn't sound so difficult. Just time consuming. Maybe we should all split up?" Harry suggested. "Flare spells should be used though, in case we need to locate one another. We can use red if we are in danger, and green otherwise, such as if you wanted to meet back up again." He thought back to his first year when he had to serve detention in the forest, searching for the injured Unicorn. 

"That sounds like a good idea," Neville commented. "How should we split up?"

"Well, maybe—," Ron began, but was cut off by none other than Draco Malfoy, who had finally decided to let his presence be known.

"There is no professor here?" Draco asked in an uninterested sort of way as he approached the group and slid his hands into the pockets of his robes.

"No. What are you doing here?" Hermione inquired. Everyone turned to look at Draco, who leaned casually against a nearby tree.

"I came to serve detention, Granger. I hear we need to go pick some plants. Let's get started then, I haven't got all night, and there are other things I'd much rather be doing." Draco responded. He wished he could punch each skeptical glare he received after he spoke.

"You're a lying bastard. Just go away now and stop bothering us," Ron said, feeling his temper rise—which was a rather typical reaction to Draco's presence. 

Draco glowered at Ron for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed and he smiled a rather devious, one-sided smile. "Calm down, Weasley. I haven't done anything…yet."

"He's telling the truth. We ran into him along the way." Ginny added, hoping to ease the tension. Ron muttered a few curses and tried all he could to pretend Draco wasn't there. Draco shifted his gaze to Ginny, and for the first time since he woke up, he remembered his dream…and wondered if it meant anything.

"We have decided to split up into two groups of two and one group of three," Padme said. "I think the group of three should go to the stones, the one that would take the longest to get to."

"So, how shall we split up?" Neville asked.

____________________

"Albus, are you sure they are safe out there?" McGonagall asked as she approached Professor Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore appeared to be pondering the notion for a moment, and then leaned forward, speaking carefully.

"I assure you that they are not safe out there. However, the lamp that I had Professor Sylvermir give to the healing students will in fact show me where they are in the forest." Dumbledore reached into his desk and pulled out a large scroll, and then unrolled it on his desk. "This is a highly detailed map of the Forbidden Forest. You see this light here?" He pointed to the map, and close to the edge of the forest was what appeared to be a speck of flame burning on the parchment. It began to move forward, leaving a charred trail in its wake. The trail would linger for a moment, and then eventually fade as the parchment appeared to mend itself. "It also picks up wand activity. A highly valuable map that this is, indeed."

"Amazing, Albus. I have a feeling that they would choose to split up. This is a difficult task that we have given them." McGonagall said, her eyes following the little flame on the parchment. A long silence stretched between them as they observed the map. The little flame began to move again, and tiny sparks of light appeared in three clusters, each cluster heading in a different direction. 

"Ahh. They are using their wands to light their path. It's going to storm soon though," Dumbledore commented with a jovial smile. McGonagall pursed her lips as she watched the lights for a little longer. 

The room was soon alive with the sounds of someone entering, and Dumbledore looked up to the door over McGonagall's shoulder. "Ahh, come in, do come in, Aurellia."

The figure Dumbledore had addressed as Aurellia walked forward, and stood along side McGonagall. Her robes were of deep green velvet, embroidered with intricate gold designs. Long spiraling blonde hair fell over her shoulders and shorter ringlets framed her pale face. She gave an emerald-eyed glance to the map and then back to Dumbledore, canting her head respectfully.

"I trust they have begun on the journey, Headmaster?" the woman Dumbledore referred to as Aurellia asked. 

"Professor Sylvermir, good to see you this evening." McGonagall said, moving over a little to allow Aurellia some room. Aurellia glanced over to McGonagall and smiled.

"I am well, very well, Minerva." Professor Sylvermir responded, and then turned back to Dumbledore.

"They have begun, Aurellia. Searching for those herbs will take them all night, I'd wager. If not longer." Dumbledore said.

"Severus could not make it here this evening. He said that he had previously made plans," McGonagall noted. Dumbledore nodded, knowing exactly where Snape had gone. He was also very concerned for Snape, mainly because he was certain that sooner or later the Death Eaters would catch on that they have a spy in their midst. "Harry Potter is now safely away from the school…" 

After Dumbledore made this comment, the entire room grew deathly silent. All eyes were on the map, watching intently. The little flame continued on its journey in the direction of '_The Ancient Ruins of Kaylithian.'_ It was followed closely by three little sparks. 

"On the map that I drew for them, and in their notes, I simply referred to the ruins as 'an outcropping of stones at the base of the mountains.' I also labeled the two portkey monoliths as lakes. They are in fact two very large pyramid structures, most likely covered in vines and moss. The children won't be able to miss them," explained Professor Sylvermir.

"They have no idea what is going on, do they?" McGonagall asked, her question directed to Dumbledore.

"Very clever, Aurellia. No, Minerva, no they do not. However, Aurellia, can you send out a scout to see who is in which group? We must keep our closest eye on Harry Potter."

"Yes, Headmaster," Professor Sylvermir responded, and then bowed out.

______________________

Two of those little sparks on the map that Dumbledore held in his office belonged to Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley. They were together, and headed for the farthest 'lake.' Just how they got to pair up together without Ron going ballistic can simply be explained by Ginny's own fiery temper. An enormous argument broke out over who would travel with Draco, and Ginny settled it by saying that she would. Ron, of course, jumped on the chance to argue with her about it, however she explained that she could fend for herself, that she wasn't a little girl anymore, and that she wasn't afraid of Draco in the slightest bit. She also figured the 'Dream Team' couldn't bear to be separated.

Draco and Ginny walked for a while in silence. They had not felt the need to consult the map yet, and pretty much avoided any form of communication. The wind began to pick up significantly as it whisked through the trees. The sound of leaves whispering against one another grew to such a volume that it nearly drowned out the other nightly noises. Once muggy and humid, the atmosphere suddenly shifted with the wind and the temperature dropped significantly. Branches creaked and the canopy shook violently as strong gusts blew over the Forbidden Forest. A rumble in the distance warned of an approaching storm.

"Not again…What is up with this weather?" Ginny asked out loud, although more or less to herself. Frail twigs and leaves blew off of the trees and fell in their path, littering the forest floor all around them.

"This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever done. I could be back in my common room, or perhaps in my bed, relaxing to the sound of the storm. But no, I chose to bend to the will of authority and serve this idiotic detention." Draco spat with contempt. Not to mention he was a little miffed that no matter who he had to be paired up with, it was a choice between people he loathed with every bone in his body, or people who annoyed him beyond comprehension. Then there was Ginny. He did not despise her, nor did he find her annoying. More or less, he hated her ideals and her quirks—her good-natured, muggle-loving, Potter-gloating, Weasley-blooded, temper-flaring, quirks.

"Doesn't it seem odd to you, though?" Ginny asked as she stopped walking. Draco stopped with her and fixed her with a demeaning stare.

"What ever are you talking about, Weasel? We need to keep going. The sooner we are done with this, the sooner I am asleep in my bed. I tend to not enjoy traipsing through the forest with rugged little muggle-lovers." 

"Don't be such an arse. You're pathetic, really. You spend so much time complaining about things and don't take the time to just enjoy yourself."

"I was enjoying myself while you were quiet and I could pretend that you didn't exist." With that, Draco began walking again. 

His words stung Ginny. She was so used to feeling as if she didn't exist—mostly around Harry, Ron and Hermione, that to hear someone come out and say something like that hit her pretty hard. It wasn't something she normally sulked over, for she typically was able to let things that bother her roll off of her shoulders. Evidentially, after they rolled off her shoulders they gathered there at her feet and would build up over time.

"Okay then. I'll walk by myself…seeing as how I have the map, I should be able to find my own way just fine." Ginny called out to him, her voice brimming with anger. Draco continued to walk without once looking back. It wasn't long before she lost sight of him, and found herself utterly alone in the forest. A raindrop or two landed on her head, and she swore under her breath as she unrolled the map. _I have no idea where I am on this damn thing. _

Shoving the map back into her pocket, Ginny began to walk again. The rain pierced the treetops and pelted all around, growing heavier and heavier every moment. She sorely wished that she hadn't lost Draco. Even if he was an arse, he was someone. Being with Draco in this wild and wicked forest was far, far better than being alone. Minutes went by like hours, and she was beginning to wonder if she was heading in the wrong direction. At least the pouring rain had drowned out the wailing, cawing and howling that she had found severely disturbing when she entered the forest. Every now and then, a wail would rise above the hum of the rainfall, sending shivers down her spine. She drew her robes around herself tightly and pulled the hood of her cloak over her hair. This time, she was sure to wear her rain repellent Hogwarts robes.

The sound of her feet slushing against the wet leaves diverted her thoughts from worrying about werewolves and giant spiders. She wondered where Draco could be, thinking he must not be too far ahead of her, she stopped walking and listened out into the forest.

"Malfoy!" Ginny called, her voice straining to travel beyond the thick trees and pouring rain. She listened for a moment, and the sound of footsteps off to her right caught her attention. Reaching for her wand, she bit her lip apprehensively and stared intently in the direction of the sound. After a moment, they stopped.

"Malfoy! I know that's you, quit trying to frighten me!" Ginny yelled. Off to her left, more footsteps were heard. The leaves crackled much louder than the ones she heard before, indicating a heavier source. She remained deathly still, her breathing coming out in short gasps. A low growl emitted from the direction of the heavier footsteps, and Ginny aimed her wand. Lightning lit up the surrounding area, bringing to light a form not too far from her. It was hunched over, and from what Ginny could see, it appeared to have hair all over its body. _A werewolf…God…Just think back to Defense against the Dark Arts…Please Draco…Please not be too far away!_

A/N: To be continued! What do you think so far? Should I keep going? Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed, and I apologize 28758708575 times over for how long it took me to get this chapter out. I've been busy with Graduating from college (its about time!) so my mind has been in a thousand different places at once. Anyway, I really hope you all enjoyed this, sorry about the cliffie!


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